The newswire states that Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc. closed various Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants in Ohio, Texas and Virginia. It further states that they used replica trolley cars as part of their decor. This firm is not to be confused with the Old Spaghetti Factory chain, which I believe has some real artifacts. SW has 30 sites in 13 states. Does anyone know if they have any actual streetcars?

fred_ash@bankone.com

The rest. in Columbus Ohio has an actual "real" streetcar, installed through a hole in the wall.
The also have a gigantic amonia compressor with 20' flywheel left over from the old days when the building was an ice plant.
I wonder if this one is closing too ????

> The newswire states that Consolidated
> Restaurant Operations, Inc. closed various
> Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants in Ohio,
> Texas and Virginia. It further states that
> they used replica trolley cars as part of
> their decor. This firm is not to be confused
> with the Old Spaghetti Factory chain, which
> I believe has some real artifacts. SW has 30
> sites in 13 states. Does anyone know if they
> have any actual streetcars?

> The rest. in Columbus Ohio has an actual
> "real" streetcar, installed
> through a hole in the wall.
> The also have a gigantic amonia compressor
> with 20' flywheel left over from the old
> days when the building was an ice plant.
> I wonder if this one is closing too ????

What a horrible thought. That restaurant was also a beautiful converted depot and has great historical value. It is also the only decent restaurant within walking distance for those of us who do shows at the Veterans' Memorial hall. I always enjoyed the food and considered it a great ambassador of Ohio to show off to my out of state friends. The place has some lovely artifacts, I hope the whole thing is a big mistake.

Just Train Crazy,

Angie

As an addendum: It has always been so pleasant to do the Columbus shows because I could step out the back of the hall any time of day and watch the trains, yes, the engineers still wave, and then go to the Spaghetti Warehouse at night for supper in a renovated depot.


Ladypardus@cs.com

Many of the spaghetti warehouse restaurants do have real streetcars in them. The chain got started in Dallas, and for awhile, all of the new restaurants were equipped with Dallas cars. McKinney Avenue Transit swapped them a couple of rough car bodies for the *complete* Pearly Thomas that was almost parted out for use in the Fort Worth restaurant. If you look at MATA's early logo it has a Pearly Thomas on it. They were going to restore that, but RTA came knocking with a bowl full of cash, so they sent it back to New Orleans and bought the Melbourne car and parts.

Tampa has a Dallas Peter Whitt, and when at the ARM/TRAIN convention in Charlotte, I ate lunch in a Conneticut car that Fred Bennet used to operate.

Andy Nold

Dallas 2002 ARM Convention
tnold@bigfoot.com

I wonder why the y would close the Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus. Every time I would go by there in the evening on the C&O it was always packed with cars. I ate there once, and was pleasantly suprised to see that engine sitting there. Makes you wonder how a successful place like that can be losing money or maybe not. There is a new phenomenon out there of corporations closing stores that may not be losing money, just not making enough, which is kinda crazy.

todengine@woh.rr.com

It's too bad we don't have a better idea of what the identities of all the cars in Spaghetti restaurants are. I visited an Old Spaghetti Factory in St. Louis that had a Birney in it; Andrew Young claims it is from Grand Forks, NE, but I have absolutely no idea how he figured that out. The only original parts on it are the steel sections - all the wood, even the corner posts, have been replaced, much of it by people with pretty low woodworking standards.

Frank Hicks

frank@gats.com

I haven't been there in years, but when I was in college in Spokane, WA, the Old Spaghetti Factory there had a small trolley car. Not sure if it was real or not. I'd know better now.



shawsinoly@aol.com

The Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus Ohio, on Broad Street, is still open.
The do indead have a streetcar inside their establishment.
It was brought in from San Francisco in 1977, or 1978.
The seats inside have been removed and replaced with tables and chairs.

> The newswire states that Consolidated

> Restaurant Operations, Inc. closed various
> Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants in Ohio,
> Texas and Virginia. It further states that
> they used replica trolley cars as part of
> their decor. This firm is not to be confused
> with the Old Spaghetti Factory chain, which
> I believe has some real artifacts. SW has 30
> sites in 13 states. Does anyone know if they
> have any actual streetcars?

I think he worked it from the other end; finding out from Gales Creek enterprises what cars were used in what building.

The most interesting is the one in Newport, Ca that has a Pacific Electric car in it. Someone here on the Interchange talked about this at one time.

Do I understand you to say there are/were two companies doing Italian food in streetcars? TM


ted_miles@NPS.gov

Fred,

Back in I believe 1997 or maybe 1996, the Spaghetti Warehouse restaurant closed in Rochester, NY. I never went to the restaurant when it was open, but it did house a real interurban car, North Texas Traction #409.

The New York Museum of Transportation, located in Rush, NY(~10 miles south of Rochester) was able to acquire the car, acquire the help to create a large hole in the side of the brick building the car was housed in, get the car out through the hole, get the hole closed back up, get the car moved to the museum and get the car put on display. It came sans trucks and electrical gear, but cosmetically very complete.

Please check out their website for more info, a picture of the car, and some pics of the members spaghetti dinner that was held to celebrate the car going on display(under NYMT Journal tab). A pair of trucks were acquired for the car and will hopefully find their way under the car very soon. The car is stored indoors and is open to the public on Sundays, year-round.

Until later,
Chris

> The newswire states that Consolidated
> Restaurant Operations, Inc. closed various
> Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants in Ohio,
> Texas and Virginia. It further states that
> they used replica trolley cars as part of
> their decor. This firm is not to be confused
> with the Old Spaghetti Factory chain, which
> I believe has some real artifacts. SW has 30
> sites in 13 states. Does anyone know if they
> have any actual streetcars?


New York Museum of Transportation
crhauf@frontiernet.net

Yeah, one is Old Spaghetti Factory and the other is The Spaghetti Warehouse. As I recall, there was an infringement lawsuit. I believe they settled it by agreeing to stay out of each other's territory.

> I think he worked it from the other end;
> finding out from Gales Creek enterprises
> what cars were used in what building.

> The most interesting is the one in Newport,
> Ca that has a Pacific Electric car in it.
> Someone here on the Interchange talked about
> this at one time.

> Do I understand you to say there are/were
> two companies doing Italian food in
> streetcars? TM


tnold@bigfoot.com

> I haven't been there in years, but when I
> was in college in Spokane, WA, the Old
> Spaghetti Factory there had a small trolley
> car. Not sure if it was real or not. I'd
> know better now.

The Tacoma, WA, Old Spaghetti Factory has a street car in it. If I remember right Tacoma was the first Old Spaghetti Factory. The idea of the street car was an accident. The street in front of the building was being torn up to replace the water main. When they dug the street up they found the old street car burried there. The owner of the restaurant asked the city if they could use the car for the restuarant, a deal was made and the rest is history.


crisolite@aol.com

Oops! ‘Fraid there’s no Grand Forks in Nebraska. Did he perhaps mean North Dakota?